Manager claims side have to win remaining five games to clinch play-off spot

Livingston manager John McGlynn has said his team need a perfect run-in to keep alive their promotion hopes.

Two late goals cost the Lions on Saturday as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat at home to Dumbarton and McGlynn concedes his side are far from favourites for fourth spot as they sit six points behind Queen of the South with just five games remaining.

“The result on Saturday was a massive one and it means that Queen of the South are now clearly in the driving seat for the play-offs. It’s made it very difficult for us,” he said.

“But there’s still five games left and 15 points to play for and that’s our target.

“It’s
certainly not over but it won’t be easy and we really need to be getting five wins from our last five games and, if Queen of the South slip up, we need to be able to take advantage.”

Despite
the defeat, McGlynn refused to be too downbeat about the performance, saying: “I thought we played some great football in the first-half and, to be honest, probably should have been ahead by more than one goal at half-time.

“We’ve ended up picking four points from the four games against Dumbarton this season despite dominating large periods in every game — and those dropped points may have really cost us.”

Livi face Greenock Morton at Cappielow on Saturday, with the hosts needing a miracle to escape relegation.

However,
Morton grabbed the points the last time the two teams met and McGlynn goes into the encounter with a heavily depleted squad.

Captain Simon Mensing is unlikely to feature, while Michal Habai, Andy Barrowman and Ross Docherty are still injured.

Jason Talbot will serve the first of his two-game ban after seeing red against the Sons.

“It gives someone else the chance to come in and stake a claim,” said McGlynn.

“We’ve got a squad that’s full of versatile players and that is what we need at this level with the budget we have.

“At
this stage of the season, every team is going to pick up injuries and suspensions and we look at players who can play at different positions to combat that.”